


Skies Bright and Clear

by misura



Category: Forest Kingdom Series - Simon R. Green
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-20
Updated: 2017-05-20
Packaged: 2018-11-02 23:18:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10954809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misura/pseuds/misura
Summary: Flint and the Dancer share a moment and make plans for the future.





	Skies Bright and Clear

"You ever think about retiring?" Flint asked.

None of the blood on her face was hers and she was grinning. There were about two dozen bandits left, all of them desperate to kill Flint and the Dancer so that they could make their getaway before the guards got here.

The Dancer knew that he could kill the whole lot by himself. Probably wouldn't even work up a sweat doing so. He was a Bladesmaster after all, and they were just men. Desperate, hungry men, who might have been driven to their actions by circumstances beyond their control, but so what? Orders were orders.

"Never," he said. "You?" He was fairly sure that she'd asked the question only as a joke, but not entirely.

The Dancer was very good with a sword, but he knew he wasn't as good with other people, or things like jokes. It was the price he'd paid for his training. He had no regrets.

"Funny," Flint said, and the Dancer nodded, relieved that he'd gotten it right.

One day, he knew, Flint wouldn't have any other choice. She'd get old, and her body simply wouldn't be up to being a Ranger anymore. He wasn't sure what he'd do when that happened.

Life with the Rangers without her just wouldn't be the same. It would be like losing one of his limbs, except a hundred times worse. You only needed one good arm to hold a sword, after all.

Sometimes, during training, the Dancer had Flint tie one arm behind his back, just to see if it made any difference. It never did, even that time when she'd also blindfolded him. As long as he was able to hold a sword, he was unbeatable.

(She'd left the blindfold on for a few hours, after, even though she'd untied his arm. That had been ... interesting. And unexpectedly enjoyable.)

Flint sighed. "This job is really boring you, huh?"

"I was thinking about that afternoon when you blindfolded me," the Dancer said. He wondered what the bandits were up to. Not that it mattered, but it would be a pity if they interrupted his and Flint's conversation at a critical juncture.

"You want to return the favor some time?" Flint asked. "Not to say I'm not up for a repeat performance, but if you liked it that much, I'm kind of curious to see for myself what the fuss is all about."

The Dancer supposed that was fair enough, even if he didn't think that there would be much point to Flint trying to hit someone with a sword without being able to see them.

"Sure. Why not? Tomorrow?"

"Why? You already got plans for tonight?" Flint was grinning again, and in that moment, the Dancer wasn't the least unsure about what he would do on the day she'd be too old to stay a Ranger.

He'd follow her anywhere, for the rest of his life. Even if she were to end up on a farm, or in some small, dull village where nothing ever happened.

Life without her simply wouldn't be worth living.

"Tonight, then," he agreed.

Going by the noise, the bandits had decided to try something. The Dancer smiled, feeling light and happy and full of goodwill towards them for waiting until he and Flint had finished their conversation.

He'd make it fast. It would only be polite and besides, he now had plans for the rest of the day.


End file.
